Heart of Stone
by xRedxMoonx
Summary: "There is a very intricate tale about her fate after her encounter with the White Witch; some people think her dead." / There's no trace of the woman Narnia once recognized as its leader, only the face of a ruthless, wicked, new enemy. Under the commands of the White Witch, her role in the upcoming war is in the hands of four human, strange children and a Great Lion.
1. Prologue

**I appreaciate constructive criticism a lot. I give it as much as I can whenever I read someone else's work, and would love for you to give me some as well.**

 **Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Narnia or anything created by _Lewis_. **

* * *

PROLOGUE

It all started with an almost unnoticeable tickling on the fingers of her toes, a wave of warmth caressing the skin that hid behind a suit of cold, stony armour. It was a calming sensation that only managed to spread through her trapped legs before it quickly faded as if it had never been there. But it had, and even though the young woman didn't stir and her mind kept on wandering in a world of white abysms, the hard surface of stone that covered her from head to toe cracked ever so slightly.

-#-

The White Witch regarded the scenery before her sharp eyes with pride and slight contentment. Her gaze touched every inch of land – _her_ land–; from the icy esplanade that separated her castle from the hills to the snowy trees that stood behind them. Everything seemed to be in order, just how she wanted it to be. She really did hate it when those insignificant followers of Aslan attempted to go against her and treated her like a vulgar Narnian. She wasn't any of that; she was the Queen, and they should know not to step on her way and show her some respect. Fortunately, after capturing one of those insufferable rats –a skunk, none the less– some days ago, none had tried anything else. That seemed to have made them realize any effort was pointless, and she had been taking walks without being disturbed –and stunk out– ever since.

A part of her, however, loved to see those rebellious Narnians trying to annoy her with their little tactics. She loved to see the looks of utter terror in their eyes whenever she reached for her wand and hear their pathetic shouts as they attempted to alert others of her presence. But, what Jadis the White Witch enjoyed most was walking down the corridors of her castle and be greeted by so many victims she had turned to stone over the years.

A raspy sound echoed behind her, bringing her attention to the huge Minotaur, who stood by the open door.

"I apologize for disturbing you, your Majesty," it said with a short bow of respect.

The witch narrowed her eyes at it, obviously not pleased with its presence.

"What is it?" She demanded to know as her cold eyes stared hard at the Minotaur.

Nevertheless, her expression drastically changed when it revealed the news to her.

"The stone cracked."

Many things happened on the face of Jadis within the following seconds; first, surprise spread across her pale features, as she had not been expecting such words, and then a look of determination shone in her calculating eyes. Without sparing the Minotaur a glance or motioning for him to return to its work, the White Witch stormed towards the dungeons. Head high, she didn't acknowledge any of the creatures she crossed paths with, yet her gaze flickered to their forms whenever they bowed out of respect if only to satisfy her narcissism. The long, white dress she wore swept away the non-existent dust on the stairs as she descended towards the darkest, coldest part of the castle. Not that she noticed it anyway, as she was the one whose ice magic roamed every inch of the kingdom.

The sentinel who guarded the closed chamber, an ugly creature with sharp-pointed teeth and rotten skin, bowed respectfully when the witch approached. Sharing a quick glance with it, she placed a bony hand over the glassy surface and, soon enough, the ice that separated the chamber from the rest of the dungeons melted away. The chamber was dark, only illuminated by the faint light provided by the tiny torch that hung from one of the walls.

Her hand clutched her wand as the witch walked in, her face blank and not giving away her emotions; which, some thought, she did not have. With sharp eyes, she scanned the small place before approaching the darkest corner, where a statue stood. Something akin to hatred shone in her cold eyes as she laid them on the woman before her, and her lips pursed into a snarl. The mere sight of her caused the stomach of the witch to turn twist, and every fibre of her bones ached for attacking her. A century ago, she could have killed her, as she had done with the rest of her family. However, she had thought against it and decided to turn her into the statue that stared with defiant eyes into her soul.

" _She can be useful when the time comes_ ," she had thought.

And, as Jadis noticed the cracks on the surface, she knew the time had finally come.

"Not yet," she murmured as her gaze fell upon the stony feet of the woman. The scratches were too tiny, almost unnoticeable, which only meant one thing: Jadis still had time to act before she awoke. And the thought managed to erase the look of hatred from her face, instead bringing an expression of triumph.

Giving the statue one last glance, the White Witch rounded on her heels and abandoned the dungeons. Her heels echoed through the corridors as she made her way towards the outside.

"Ginarrbrik! Get the sled ready!" She shouted, her voice authoritative and leaving no room for questioning, as she crossed the huge hall, heading the unbelievably high doors.

"Should we scan the area in search of rebels as well, my Queen?" The leader of the Secret Police, Maugrim, asked with a small bow. It had been long since the wolves had been hunting, and expectation shone in the flaming eyes of the huge, grey beast.

The corner of her lips tugged upwards ever so slightly, forming a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, which sparked with the malice she was known of.

"No," she spoke resolutely. "We don't want to scare our guests."

As the dwarf, Ginarrbrik, led her to her sled, the White Witch drifted her gaze to the wolf.

"Keep an eye on the statue," she ordered, to which Maugrim nodded firmly.

"What do we do if she wakes up, my Queen?" It seemed rumours spread throughout the palace within seconds, for every creature living there already knew about the events concerning the woman they kept under the ice.

"She won't," Jadis asserted, before adding, "however, in the remote case that she does, I want no creature nearby. She may be a valuable gem in this war if she joins our army. Thus, no one is to approach her. Have I made myself clear?"

Maugrim, prey to the harsh stare the witch was throwing him from her spot sitting on the white sled, could only bow.

-#-

Meanwhile, far from the castle in which interior death was assured, a peculiar couple walked down a small hill. Snow would have covered both of them had not the faun carried an umbrella with him. They moved at a fast pace, and the little girl stumbled over more than once due to the amount of snow under her feet. Fortunately, her companion was always there to catch her before she could crash into the cold, unwelcoming ground. A shy 'thank you' was heard every time that happened, which always caused the faun to chuckle in amusement. He had never met a person who apologized so much –not that he had that many human acquaintances; in fact, that short Daughter of Eve was the first he had been blessed to meet.

The short girl shivered every once and then when powerful gusts of cold wind struck, ruffling her brown hair with no compassion and sneaking under her clothes. However, the weather seemed to be the last of her concerns. She clutched the bare arm of the faun with shaking hands, and allowed him to be the guide of their excursion. Her eyes were wide; shining with what was undoubtedly, fear.

The faun, on the other hand, had a troubled expression plastered on his features; as if he were debating with his own mind about something. The whole time, his eyes remained alert and glancing at their surrounds with nervousness.

To anyone who saw them, it'd be obvious that they were running from something. However, much to their delight, no one crossed their path as they headed their destination.

"This is it," the faun, Tumnus, whispered as they stopped by a lamp post. He seemed to be relieved, but his eyes kept sneaking cautious glances around. "I trust you know your way back from here?"

Lucy Pevensie nodded slowly, and a hopeful spark crossed her gaze when she asked, "Will I see you again?"

The faun's features softened considerably at her words; she was such a sweet soul.

"I do hope so, my friend." That seemed to be what Lucy was hoping to hear, for a wide smile spread across her lips.

"Oh, I will bring my siblings next time! You do not mind, do you? They can be quite difficult sometimes, especially Edmund, but they are definitely going to love this place," she babbled, which made Tumnus chuckle again before he froze.

"Pray tell me, how many siblings do you have?" Something had suddenly come to his mind, and his expression changed into one of anticipation.

"I am the youngest of the four," she revealed, a note of dejection in her voice.

Tumnus regarded her with wide eyes, blinking ever so frequently, before he asked one more question, his voice a bit louder than last time, "And is any of your siblings of age? Although, now that I mention it, I believe your way of aging might be somewhat different from mine…"

Her features scrunched into an expression of suspicion, as the girl did not quite understand where those questions came from nor did she comprehend the reason behind them.

"Well, none of us is an adult yet. But Peter would be the closest, seeing as he turns eighteen next month… Why do you seem so curious about it?" She couldn't help but wonder out loud, still wary about the peculiar questions.

But, much to her dismay, the faun waved a hand in the air.

"You shall not worry about my curiosity, Lucy Pevensie," he assured, smiling slightly at his new friend. "Nevertheless, I'm afraid we shall catch a cold if we stand here talking, and I'd rather not lie in bed for the following days. It'd be best for both if you went back to Spare 'Oom, may we not keep your siblings worrying about you much more."

Lucy didn't seem convinced, but decided to let it go for the moment being; she, indeed, didn't want her siblings to worry about her if she could avoid it. Besides, even though she was doing her best not to shiver, she was freezing from head to toe. Thus, she bid goodbye to Mr. Tumnus and quickly rushed to the Wardrobe.

What Tumnus did not know was that Lucy was very observant, and she had noticed the emotions that had filled his eyes when their last conversation had taken place. And she wasn't about to leave the issue behind; she would come back, have another pleasant evening with the faun, perhaps with the company of some cookies, and ask him about the real reason behind his curiosity. Because, to be honest, Lucy could not quite comprehend why Mr. Tumnus had appeared to be so troubled when she had spoken about Peter.

* * *

 **I've decided to change the real ages of the Pevensie so the plot I've created with my character fits better.**


	2. The Beginning of the Adventure

**Thank you very much to everyone who read, favourited and followed. And a special thanks to everyone who reviewed.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWO:

The Beginning of the Adventure

* * *

The sound of heels clattering on the icy floor echoed within the entire palace as the White Witch paced back and forth. An annoyed frown was plastered on her pale features, giving away the frustration and aggravation that was growing in her cold heart. Her wand was clutched securely in one of her hands, her knuckles almost white due to the tight grip on it. It would appear that she was going to cast a spell on every creature that dared to cross paths with her any moment now, thus leading her servants to stay as far from the dangerous woman as possible.

With what seemed to be a resigned growl, the witch rounded on her heels and left the main hall. As soon as she was gone, the creatures that had been hiding behind huge pillars, preys to fright, began to leave their shields. As expected, the woman paid them no mind, not even spared them a glance of disdain as she usually did. Instead, she began her descend towards her favourite room, the one that was decorated by statues of Narnians. It had always helped her think or, what she'd rather do at the moment being, not think.

It had been almost a week since a tiny, barely noticeable crack had turned up on the perfectly still surface of the statue she kept in the dungeons; a week of pure expectation, which soon enough had turned into a week of utter frustration. At one moment, she had almost begged for those humans to appear, if only to take away her boredom. That and because she hoped for one of them to be the key to awake _her_ statue. Over the days, the White Witch had made up a plan in her wicked mind, one that could help her defeat Aslan if followed step by step. Because the White Witch was evil, but no fool; she was certain that the great lion was going to make an appearance soon enough. It was a matter of time, and she had to make sure to be prepared by then. _And_ , to achieve victory without having to put the effort into a fight she didn't feel like battling, she would have to use her _recently found_ secret weapon: the woman that shielded herself from the world under a suit of armour made of stone. But it was something she wouldn't be able to do if said woman didn't come back to life; which couldn't be accomplished by her hand.

It was a situation Jadis had not seen coming when she put her under that spell, but it had to be done either way. She knew, without any doubt, that the woman wouldn't have joined her back then, considering her undying loyalty towards her keen and Aslan himself. Fortunately, Jadis had also formulated a plan to make sure she _changed_ her mind about her pointless philosophy.

However, until those insignificant humans came to Narnia, every plan would be as useless as Ginnarbrik himself.

Feeling almost more aggravated after her thoughtful monolog, the witch swung the door open and hastily stepped into the room. Much to her dismay, however, the looks of utter terror written all over the faces of her statues were not enough to drag her away from her vexation. So, after wandering down the same corridor for long minutes, the anger rolling down her veins got the best out of her, leading her to grab a small badger and throw him at the wall. Immediately, the stone broke into million pieces with a loud _crack,_ that echoed within the silent room.

Fortunately for the souls whose hearts still beat inside those stony vests, there was a prominent knock on the door. Swiftly rounding on her heels, the witch waited for Maugrim to step into the room as her cold hands oscillated dangerously close over another set of statues.

"My Queen." The big wolf bowed in respect. "It would appear that another crack has come into sight."

It was quite evident that the wolf was eager, that much his guttural voice gave away. Not to blame him, for the news he brought to the White Witch promised many things.

"I see." Her voice was permeated in expectation and reflected an obvious change in her mood. "Bring her to the comfiest room." She wasted no time in reciting orders, and then added with a mischievous smile, "We don't want her to feel threatened."

"What should the Secret Police do meanwhile?" Maugrim asked, almost unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

But, much to his discontent, Jadis merely sent him a dark stare and abandoned the room.

"Guard her door," she spoke firmly, leaving no room for argument, as she swiftly made her way towards the main entrance. "If anyone is to enter, you shall take care of it. I trust you won't have a problem with that."

Even though Maugrim wanted nothing but refute to her words, the wolf grunted in agreement and left the witch alone with her thoughts.

As a wicked smile that resembled more to a grimace than anything spread on her thin lips, Jadis called for the dwarf and announced,

"We are going hunting."

-#-

Inside the humble home in which Tumnus resided, a deliciously sweet scent coming from the small kitchen permeated the air. A calm silence flooded the warm place, only disturbed when the faun stood from his chair to quickly make his way towards the oven and back to the living room after determining that his cookies were still not baked. From time to time though, the only window in his modest house would emit an annoying sound as the wind attempted yet another insufferable assault to its surface. Is spite of that, the peace that filled the faun's soul and heart at that moment was almost enough to make him see the world through pink glasses. The warmth provided by the hearth by his side as he leaned against the comfortable chair and read one of his favourite books, _History of Narnia_ , would have caused him to forget about the cruel reality that spread outside had he not been sitting just next to the sodding window, the one that wouldn't stop shaking due to the brutality the wind blew with.

A content sigh left his mouth, before the faun placed the book on the table once again. After casting a glance at the snowy, quiet forest that spread at the other side of the window, he stood from the chair and headed the kitchen. A hopeful glint shone in his brown eyes as he bent to take the cookies from the oven, and his stomach grumbled in anticipation. In all honesty, he was not that hungry, but he had been waiting for those cookies to bake for long minutes. And, even though it was not time for an afternoon snack or tea yet, Tumnus was not a patient faun and wanted to have the biscuits as soon as possible so he could enjoy a good read afterwards.

His eyes lit up at the luscious sight, and he quickly placed them into a small plate, not bothering to put a pair of flannels on before. Then, he rushed out and sank his burnt hands into the snow while letting out pained yelps. Perhaps if he had spared the surroundings a glance instead of running back inside so hastily, Tumnus would have caught a glimpse of the small, shadowy form that was slowly approaching his home.

After clacking his hoofs on the wooden floor to get rid of the remaining snow, the faun trotted over to the kitchen. That time, he made sure to pick up a pair of flannels before taking the plate in his hands, for he was not eager to receive more burning wounds. Then, he brought the cookies to the living room, placed them on the coffee table and took the flannels off. A grimace crept up to his hairy features when the cloth brushed against his red hands; the skin was not healed yet, and rotten bruises decorated it. Blowing puffs of cold air proved to be pointless, thus why he ended up ignoring the aching coming from them and picked one of the delicious-looking biscuits.

However, much to both his dismay and surprise, there was a light knock on the door. His muscled tensed within seconds, and the cookie dropped to the floor with a soft _clack_. The first thought that came to his mind was that he had actually been spotted wandering around with a Daughter of Eve just some days ago, and the White Witch had come to arrest him. Nevertheless, he soon found such possibility more than improbable, for it had been long since that had happened and surely the witch would have paid him a visit with no delay.

So he decided to ignore them, for it could be a grumpy Mr. Beaver the one awaiting at the other side of the door. And, to be honest, Tumnus did not feel like giving away more strawberry jam, much less to those wolverines. However, one quick glance at the clock that hung by the hearth made him pause; it was way too soon for the beavers to be out. They were probably still finishing lunch, even though it was almost four in the afternoon.

Curiosity got the best of him when his door shook once again, and the faun took the fallen cookie before digging it wholly. The unexpected sight that received him brought a smile to his face, and Tumnus could only stare in awe at the short girl as she returned the warm gesture.

"What an unexpected honour, Lucy Pevensie," he greeted. Then, as if something had come to his mind, his expression contorted into one of excitement.

Lucy Pevensie couldn't help the giggles that escaped her as the faun stuck a hand towards her face, so quickly it almost smacked into her forehead. Politely, she took it in her tiny ones and smiled.

"Please, do come in." Tumnus led the girl inside and, after casting a cautious glance outside, closed the door behind. "I was baking biscuits, would you like to have some?"

Lucy, who was already taking her coat off, turned to the faun with a gleeful grin.

"Oh, yes! I would love to," she said, and then let her friend take her to the living room. After thanking him, she sat down on one of the chairs and picked one small cookie from the plate. "They are delicious, Mr. Tumnus!" She exclaimed, and the look of pure joy that shone in her eyes was enough to make the faun let out an amused chuckle.

"Thank you," Tumnus said as he took a spot next to her. To be honest, the unexpected event had caught him so off guard that he had not thought of it until then. "I must ask, Lucy Pevensie, about the reason of your pleasant visit."

The girl hummed in understanding, giving the faun her full attention before speaking.

"There is not much I know about this… land." She seemed to think about her next words as she nibbled on the biscuit. "I was wondering if you'd not mind telling me more about it."

Tumnus was certain that Lucy Pevensie was a curious girl, but the fact that she was interested in knowing more about the world in which he lived warmed his heart. However, he could not help but wonder about her real reasons. He recalled having already explained to her most of Narnia's history on her last –and first– trip.

"It'd be a pleasure to make you acquaintance with Narnia," he replied with a fond smile. A glint shone in his big, brown eyes as he lifted a finger as if to signal her to wait, before he picked up the book he had been reading _, History of Narnia_. "This book was given to me by my father, as a gift."

An excited expression spread across her rosy face as Lucy lay her curious eyes on the old-looking book. The surface was worn, and the white colour that had originally predominated on the pages had faded into a yellowish one; both signs that the book had been read many times over the years. Her tiny hand was already wrapping around it, when Lucy suddenly realized that, perhaps, the book held more importance to Tumnus than she had thought.

"Mr. Tumnus, I don't think I should accept this," she whispered as her hand retreated from the tempting item.

However, the faun merely gave out a humorous laugh and shook his head, amused.

"I'm afraid I am not offering it to you, my friend," he commented. "This is probably the only thing I have left from my loving father, and I would rather keep it that way. But," He quickly added, and Lucy's disappointed expression dropped into one of hope when the book was placed on her lap. "You're more than welcome to read every page written on it, as long as you do so here. Besides, I could use some company today."

The smile that spread on the girl's lips could have illuminated the darkest ally.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Tumnus!" She exclaimed, delighted and enthusiastic by the turn of events.

Then, her eyes fell upon the precious item and roamed it hungrily, eager to be witness of the many beautiful tales the faun had told her about. And, as the young girl lost herself in the pages, Tumnus took the empty plate in his big hands and strolled to the kitchen to bake another batch of biscuits. He knew that she was going to be there for quite long, considering the book was a large one.

And as expected, the faun was right.

The sun was beginning to hide in the horizon, its last rays reflecting in the sky and colouring it with beautiful shades of orange and pink. It would be a matter of time before night fell upon the never-ending forest. Then, the meaning of frightening would be taken to a whole new level, for the arrival of the bright moon to the dark sky implied the beginning of the Secret Police's hunting party. Soon enough, the terrifying howls of the wolves that worked under the command of the White Witch would break the silence, thus leading the Narnians to cower behind the door.

"Lucy Pevensie, it would be wise to go back to your world before dusk falls," urged the faun, effectively causing her to tear her tired eyes from the book she had been reading for hours.

Feeling a bit disappointed, Lucy gave a slight pout but sighed in defeat nonetheless. A glance out the window told her that Tumnus was, indeed, right. It was starting to darken, and the girl didn't want to ascertain whether the stories about the fearful events that occurred at night were true, or not.

"Do not fear, my friend," Tumnus spoke soothingly. "It is a big book; I would've been very impressed if you'd read it in a day. Not to say, suspicious about it."

"Will it be okay if I come by tomorrow?" Lucy asked after some seconds of comfortable silence. "I'm intrigued as to what happened to _Lith_ , the woman who stood up for her kin and challenged the White Witch."

A shadow covered his features then, as though her words had saddened him. His lips pursed into a thin line, before he heaved a long sigh.

"There is a very intricate tale about her fate after her encounter with the witch," he revealed. "And it's been a whole century ever since that happened, which leads me to think that her defeat affected greatly the following events."

"Did she die?" Lucy pressed.

"No, I'm certain she is still alive," Tumnus said, and the girl felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Truth be told, she had become quite fond of the woman in the book over the hours she'd spent reading about her, even coming to admire her for her attributes.

"Then there's still hope for Narnia!" She couldn't help herself; she was beyond delighted by the news. "Oh, I would love to meet her," she said with a dreamy expression.

But the faun didn't smile and simply sent her a sorrowful look.

"I'm afraid that is not possible, Lucy Pevensie, for she was turned into stone," he confessed. "I believe her statue lies within the White Witch's dwelling."

Her eyes widened in shock, and a mask of understanding crossed her face.

"That's horrible," she whispered.

"Indeed it is," Tumnus granted. Then, noticing the gloomy expression plastered on the girl's face, he quickly added, "But fear not, because she will be on the run sooner than we might think."

"How-"

"That's a story for another day, my friend," Tumnus interrupted her as he stood from his chair and went to look for her fluffy coat.

Taking that as a signal to stand up, Lucy followed his moves and thanked him when the faun placed the item around her small frame. Nevertheless, the frown never left her face. She knew she'd be spending the following hours mulling his words over, and it was not fair. The way he had ended their conversation reminded her to her oldest brother whenever she asked him to play outside; ironically, she had grown tired of lying on the _same_ couch in the _same_ room of the _same_ bloody manor. Those times, Peter would stand and accompany her to the huge gardens, only to resume his resting on the green grass and leave her hanging.

"There's not much I know about this subject, Lucy Pevensie," the faun apologized. "Not as much as my good friend Mr. Beaver does, at least."

"Excuse my ignorance, but who is Mr. Beaver?" Lucy was really a curious child; she was always asking and didn't give up until she received a proper, satisfying answer. That much the faun had learnt about her.

Tumnus chuckled lightly as the both of them approached the door.

"He is… an interesting one, to put it in words. But if you ever meet him, watch over your jam; he's quick with his paws!"

The girl laughed heartedly, and the gleeful sound immediately lightened his soul. For a minute, Tumnus feared he had offended her by his lack of answers. However, he knew it was better that way; as Aslan had once said: _Shall fate work its way toward us at its own pace_.

 _Lucy Pevensie shall not know about what shouldn't be acted on_ , the faun thought.

Thus, as her silhouette faded into the foggy forest, Tumnus took the book from the chair she had been sitting on and placed it within the shelter provided by the wooden shelves.

"Until next time, Lucy Pevensie."

Little did he know, the next time would never come.

-#-

The angry shouts of Mrs. Macready followed them as the four Pevensies stumbled over their feet in an attempt of getting away from the enraged woman. Quickly, they rushed to the second floor and kept on running through the entire building. However, much to their displeasure, her agitated footsteps continued to echo behind them; it was as though she was everywhere. From time to time, the eldest of the siblings would throw irritated glares at his brother, which Edmund would always return with a scowl.

"If only you paid more attention to your surroundings," Peter grumbled after another exchange of hateful glances between his brother and him.

Edmund mocked his words, much to Peter's annoyance, and added, "If only you weren't a pain in the-"

"Edmund!"

He muttered something under his breath and drifted his glaring eyes towards his older sister, but was ignored as Lucy led them into a familiar room. The short girl ran in and was soon followed by the rest of her family without uttering a word. And it was only when the wooden, old-looking wardrobe came to their sight, that Susan heaved an exasperated sigh.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said, incensed, as she looked at Peter for support.

The boy had stopped shortly after stepping in, and a frustrated expression had almost instantly overtaken his face. With tired eyes, he silently watched as his brother rushed to the furniture and swung the door open. To be honest, the sudden change of attitude took Peter by surprise; the pleading look in his eyes was not something any of them were used to see every day. However, before Peter could open his mouth to argue, another set of yelling shook the entire floor.

" _Closer_." He was so focused on getting as far as possible from the approaching woman that he didn't realize that the words had been spoken in his mind, like a whisper soaked in emotion.

As if the words had snapped him out of his stupor, Peter wrapped his hand around Lucy's tiny one and rushed towards the huge wardrobe. Unsurprisingly, Edmund hadn't waited for them to make up their minds and had already jumped into the darkness that prevailed in the limited gap.

"Susan!" Peter warned after realizing the girl wasn't following them.

Casting one last troubled glance over her shoulder, Susan sighed dejectedly and stepped into the wardrobe. Immediately, they noticed the radical change in temperature; the freezing cold of winter slipping through the tiny fabric of their clothes and almost turning their feet into ice. Step by step, the only warmth provided by the furry coats hanging inside the fours wooden walls stopped tickling their sensitive skins. Then, the four siblings stumbled backwards and landed into the snowy, beautiful world of Narnia.

-#-

It all started with the familiar tickling on her toes, a warm caress that contrasted with the deadly cold skin. At a slow pace, it crept up her legs, kissing every inch of them before it began to fade away. Coldness started to wrap around her frame once again, as if the fervent sensation had never grazed it.

" _Closer_."

Suddenly, her mind stirred.

Warmth spread all over her body like an ardent embrace. It expanded through her veins eagerly, rolling up and down them in search of her switch. Arms seemed to sheathe around her as if she were a sword, capturing her in a passionate hug, a hug that promised life. Her body drank from the intense feeling and swam in the loving sea of emotions that had once been taken away from her. And, finally, her heart gave a jolt.


	3. Wolves

CHAPTER THREE:

Wolves

A sadistic smile stretched on her thin lips, her sharp features contorted into an expression of satisfaction, and her dark eyes gleamed in utter haughtiness. In spite of the reputation she had built upon herself, the White Witch was more than a ruthless, narcissist woman. She was calculating, wily and manipulative, and those attributes had helped her to reach her final goal. It was because of her intellect and self-confidence that she was standing in front of a land covered by everlasting ice. It was because of her vicious nature that her magic was spread all around Narnia, touching even the tiniest things and crushing all hope and warmth under its pressure.

However, it had been her ability to turn on her charms and feign compassion what had led her to set her ingenious plan in motion.

-#- Some hours ago -#-

There was a human in Narnia, or at least, he had been there enough for the statue to crack. And enough for the White Witch to cross paths with him before any bold soul could have encountered him first.

As Jadis walked back into her castle, the meeting with the son of Adam kept replaying itself in her mind. Frankly, disappointment ran down her veins, and a feeling of heavy annoyance had settled in her stomach. The boy, while his apparition in Narnia promised a wonderful future for her hegemony, had proven to be a half-witted child. She had talked to him about the marvellous life waiting for him in her dwellings, and all he had cared about had been whether his older brother would be his servant if he made it to king.

He had also asked for more Turkish delight.

Honestly, Jadis didn't know what to expect from him. She truly hoped that envy he felt towards his brother was oppressive enough to make him turn on his family. In a way, she was pleased with her accomplishment and was glad she had found someone that easy to control. He had practically drunk from her words, not wavering and never greeting them with scepticism.

The White Witch doubted she would've been as successful had she met a different component of his family, someone much less naïve than Edmund Pevensie.

A loud _crash_ shook the ground at her feet, and Jadis paused before heading straight to her dorms. However, she didn't make it there.

An unexpected sight greeted her when she rounded the last corner, a situation that both managed to stop her dead in her tracks and make her lips form the smallest of the smirks. Of all the Narnians, she was exultant to have made the Heir of the Woods of the West her adversary. Evidently, Jadis did not think of her as an equal, as there was no one as powerful as the witch. But she secretively admired her fighting spirit, even though her loyalty towards the Great Lion had always been rather unnerving.

Maugrim sudden growl brought the witch back to reality, and she watched the fight unfold itself before her intense gaze.

 _Is she trying to suffocate him?_ Jadis wondered in disbelief as she observed the way the woman wounded her arms around the wolf's huge neck.

"Enough," she finally voiced, loud and authoritative, for she was certain that any possible ending to their pointless fight wouldn't bring any good to her.

The attention of the woman was instantly on her, and Jadis found herself momentarily _freezing_ on the spot. Emerald eyes fixed on her from her – most likely – uncomfortable position on the back of Maugrim, glowing with the intensity once had hunted her dreams. Taking advantage of the short moment of distraction, the big wolf rolled on his back and shrugged the woman off of him, effectively catching her off guard.

"Maugrim," Jadis warned, her voice cold as her ice. "You are not needed here. Leave." When the animal didn't move and kept staring down at the woman menacingly, her features hardened. "Now!"

The walls of the wide corridor seemed to vibrate as she shouted her last order, her voice reverberating down it and breaking into every room nearby. As the witch determinedly approached him, Maugrim felt his hair stand on end and eventually complied. As his furry tail disappeared around the corner, Jadis turned towards the person she loathed most in every realm.

 _Lith of Woodland_.

-#- Present time -#-

Marvelled, the oldest member of the siblings could not help but feel entranced by the mystical scenery spread all around them. The cold wind – very much contrasted to the unbearable heat of the world they had just left behind – didn't seem to bother him as his eyes roamed his surroundings, giving special attention to the snow that covered the tall trees and, from time to time, dropped from their white leaves. He had never seen something so pure in his whole life; back in London, they had once been greeted by a small amount of snow, but it had been of an ugly shade of grey due to the cars and people constantly stepping on it.

A huge snowball hit his face, freezing his cheeks and turning his nose red in an instant. His eyebrow furrowed, but a smile took over his features as the sly grin of his sister met his gaze.

Lucy Pevensie laughed in delight before quickly hiding behind Susan, thus leading to her older sister to be hit by Peter's snowball instead.

Soon enough, a snowball fight was taking place in the middle of the Narnian forest, and all the siblings were running and laughing without a care in the world. Well, everyone except for Edmund, whose face was contorted into a thoughtful expression as he glanced around warily.

"I'm freezing here," he suddenly complained aloud, earning himself a glare from his brother and a sound of agreement from Susan.

"Let's find you something to warm you up, your _Majesty._ "

Edmund flinched at the word, and a wave of panic soaked him at the thought of his plan having been caught. However, as a huge coat fell upon his frame, he relaxed, knowing it was just Peter being a pain in the arse.

 _You will know not to speak disrespectfully when I reign over you_ , he thought and glared at the back of his head as the older boy turned towards their sisters to hand them a pair of coats.

"Oh, Peter, can we visit Mr. Tumnus before we go back?" Lucy asked, her eyes pleading. "Please, pretty please?"

The boy wavered, looked at Susan for support and patted the little girl's head affectionately as he received a sigh of defeat.

"If he offers us some cookies, then yes," Peter joked, causing her to beam.

And, as Lucy told them about fireplaces and songs, the siblings headed up the white hill to visit the faun.

-#-

Like any other evening, the faun – Tumnus – was sitting in his living room. Having already cleaned up the kitchen in case someone decided to pay him a visit, he sat comfortable on one of the chairs closest to the fireplace, his favourite book – _History_ _of_ _Narnia_ – placed on his lap. A smile stretched on his lips at the remembrance of his only human friend reading that same book some days before, and he wondered of her whereabouts. He had taken a liking to the curious girl, and he could not help but cherish her presence and worry about the dangers awaiting her every time she stepped into Narnia.

Tumnus lowered his gaze upon the drawing in the book, one of a woman with warm, emerald eyes that seemed to be alive even if they were made of brownish paper. She stood tall, head high and lips stretched into a smile of benevolence and wisdom.

A disturbing sound caught his attention, and Tumnus snapped his head towards the small window by his chair. The sight caused his hair to stand on end, and the book fell with a _thud_. Chills of fright rolled down his spine as he watched quietly the wolves approaching his home, sadistic grins on their ugly faces. One bigger wolf, with red eyes and sharp teeth, led the pack.

Just as he was standing up, they barged in. Tumnus jumped on the spot, frozen and stared with wide eyes as the leader turned towards him.

"Tumnus the faun, you are under arrest for disobeying the Queen of Narnia and providing shelter to a human," Maugrim spoke sternly, his low voice vibrating within the walls. Before the faun could lift a single finger, another wolf pounced on his body and pinned him to the carpeted floor. Its fur was lighter, of a pale shade of beige, and it stared down at him with narrowed sandy eyes.

"Where is the human?" it growled in his face, and Tumnus did not care that this beast was much smaller than Maugrim; it was just as frightening.

"Anya," the other wolf called, and Anya reluctantly stepped away from the faun, but not without sparing him one last menacing glare. "He's wanted alive."

The she-wolf seemed to huff, but she didn't comment and paced away. Her paw stepped on something on the way, and she stopped in her tracks. At the sight of the woman of the woods, she growled under her breath and shred the page to pieces with her claws.

"He will answer to the Queen," Maugrim said after some seconds, then motioned for some wolves to approach. "Take him to the castle, and tear this place down. Anya," he called, "make sure no human in hiding nearby. If there is, you know what to do."

-#-

The Pevensies had been walking through the forest for quite some time when Edmund complained – yet again – about how tired he was. While his exhaustion was understood, his non-stop wailings were starting to annoy his siblings. Thus why, when he suggested finding shelter to hide from the cold and rest for some minutes, Peter snapped.

"Of course, would you like a cup of hot chocolate too?" He turned to glare at him. "I don't know about you – since you've already been here – but I'm not very familiar with this land, so the closer thing to shelter is Mr. Tumnus' house."

"I'm just saying!" Edmund defended himself. "We've been in these woods for God knows how long, and it feels like we're walking in circles!"

"Well, if you have something better to do, I suggest you turn around and go back to London!"

"You think so high of yourself –"

"Why won't you be more respectful –?"

Lucy sighed in exasperation and looked at Susan for help as they kept bickering, but they knew better than to try separating the boys. They were stubborn, too prideful for their own good, and wouldn't stop arguing under any circumstance…

…Unless something unexpected cut in; something animalistic and frightening that put their hairs on end and drove goosebumps along their skins.

Something like a growl.

"What was that?" Susan asked, alarmed.

They looked around the small glade they had come upon, yet nothing but trees and snow greeted them back.

Peter frowned.

"Maybe we imagined it?"

"All of us?" Susan exclaimed, unable to believe his brother could be so thick.

If there had been any doubt, if faded away the instant a second growl was heard.

"I don't think we have imagined it," Lucy whispered, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

"Stay close," the boy ordered as he stood between his family and the upcoming danger.

"We shouldn't have set foot into that wardrobe," Susan muttered, almost scolding.

But, before anyone could tell her it was not the time to start an argument, the bushes in front of them stirred. A pale wolf stepped out, its fangs already bared at the family. Its paws – which ended in big, sharp claws – sank in the snow as it approached them, creating a path of threatening prints. Its sandy eyes pinned them to the ground and seemed to pierce through their souls, unblinking.

The small hand of Lucy grabbed onto Peter's coat, and the boy felt yet again the needing to protect his siblings. He would always put their safety before everything else; he wouldn't hesitate to risk his life so that theirs would be free from any harm. And yet, something about the way the wolf was watching each of them so closely told him not even a distraction would be enough to avoid the collision.

Daring to look behind him for a possible way out of the dangerous situation, Peter was surprised when the wolf opened its jaws and growled in a rather feminine voice,

"Don't even think about it, human."

His muscles froze, and he glanced back at the beast as if to make sure he had actually heard it– _she_ – talk. She had stopped at some feet from where they stood, and her eyes glowed with extreme ferocity.

"It was a mistake to step into these woods," she growled again as she sank her paws deeper into the snow, ready to pounce on them. "Now, you're going to pay for the chaos you've created."

And just as she was about to attack, a shadow jumped down from one of the tall trees and graciously landed in front of the fearsome animal.


End file.
